1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to power generation systems, and more specifically to distributed turbogenerator hybrid power systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional turbogenerator systems may be confined to burning fossil fuels to drive the turbine and generate electricity. Methods and apparatus are needed to enable turbogenerators to be driven from multiple heat sources.
In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a turbogenerator having an integral first heat source for driving the turbogenerator and one or more external heat sources for driving the turbogenerator and a controller for controlling the proportion of heat from the first heat source and the one or more external heat sources used to drive the turbogenerator and a mixer for combining the proportion of heat from the first heat source and the one or more external heat sources.
In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of controlling a turbogenerator including the steps, providing and integral heat source for driving the turbogenerator, and providing one or more external heat sources for driving the turbogenerator, and selecting a priority for the integral heat source and for the one or more external heat sources, and controlling the heat applied to drive the turbogenerator according to the selected priorities.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become further apparent from the detailed description and accompanying figures that follow. In the figures and description, numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and the description.